Solderless end seam for tin cans.



Patented May 20, I902;

W. THOMPSON. SOLDERLESS END SEAN! FOR TIN CANS.

A lication filed Feb. @1902.

(No Model.)

Z h d l I a L.

hi 71/ J i N Z j x z 1 mf LIL] f 1 ,7 e 6 2 C LL 4 Z\ I 7 f i t u I INVENTOR) CZ WITNESSES i T BY I UNITED STATES PATENT \VALTER THOMPSO N, OF TORONTO, CANADA, AS SIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN MENTS, TO THE PACKERS SANITARY CAN COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, -A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY. I

.SOLDERLESS ENDMSEAM FOR TIN CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,576, dated May 20, 1902.

Application filed February}, 1902. Serial No. 92,339. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER THOMPSON,-a subject of the Kingof England, residing in Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Solderless End Seams for Tin Cans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in [O the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of tin cans and other similar vessels; and it has reference particularly to the construction of the head portion of vessels of this nature It has heretofore been proposed in order to avoid the use of solder and at'the same time produce a joint which is both leak-proof and strong to bend theedge portions of the canbody and head either outwardly or inwardly in the form of a roll. This expedient is calculated not only to durably interlock the head and body, but by virtue of the roll to close all interstices afiording possible leakage; but while it insures a perfectly durable and strong joint the joint is not always so perfect in point of being leak-proof.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to so construct tin cans having their heads secured without solder that the joint produced between the head and body will not only be strong and durable and afford protection to the end of the can, but render the joint more perfectly leak-proof than has been heretofore possible.

My invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved ves'- consists of a disk '0, having its edge portion d turned up in the form of a flange substantially at right angles and extending coincidently with the edge portion of the can.

In carrying out my invention the flange portion of the head should in the first place be made to fit as snugly as practicable within the can-body. Thereuponby suitable shaping-tools the portion c of the flange d of the head and the coincident portion f of the body are spun into substantiallyvthe shape of a frustu'm of a cone, at the same time being pressed snugly together. It should be remarked that the band-like portions e and f thus shaped are relatively wide and that their angle of incline is considerable. The result is that the part f of the can offers a very material abutment or obstruction to the movement of the head past the same. In fact, the greater the pressure applied in moving the head past this obstruction the more intimate will be the. contact between the adjacent surfaces of the portions e and f of the head and body, respectively.

Upon a view of the drawings it will be seen that the portions e and f of the head and body may taper or converge either downwardly or upwardly.

In view of what was above stated with reference to the fact that the portion f afiords an abutment or obstruction against movement of the head 1) past the same and that the greater the pressure applied on the head the more perfect will be the contact between the portions e and f I make use of the rolling of the edge portions of the can and head in order to press the portions e and f snugly against? each other. The portions e and f having been formed, the edge portions 9 and h, respectively, of the flange l of the head and the body are bent in the form of a roll i. In producing this roll the tools so act-that the edge portion h of the can-body is relatively fast, I v

while the head b is permitted to move. In other words, according as the head must be pressed downwardly or upwardly to force its portion e against the obstructing portion f so the roll must be turned either outwardly or inwardly and the edge portion g of the head-flange d permitted to move, so that the rolling action will force parts e and f againsteach other firmly. Formed in this manner it will be seen that the joint in the head portion of the can will be practically as leakproof as is possible to make it. The parts e andf not only fit each other snugly at the outset, but in the rolling action have their adjacent surfaces rubbed against each other, so that they become, so far as leakage is concerned, practically welded together.

After the partshave been in the above-described manner secured together it may be desirable, though not absolutely necessary, to spin a continuous depression in the part of the can which includes the portions e and f. This is illustrated at 7'in Fig. 3, where there is a depression both on the inside and the outside of the flange formed on the can by producing the joint described, and at it in Fig. 4, where the depression is formedin that portion of the said flange below the roll.

By making the parts e and f inclined at the proper angle the roll in the construction shown in Fig. 2 will lie in a continuous recess Z around the end portion of the can, and so be practically flush with the circumference of the body a of the can.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A sheet-metal vessel having a head inclosed within the vessel-body and provided with a flange snugly fitting the same, the edge portions of said body and flange being bent back as one upon themselves and a portion of said vessel below the bend and comprising coincident portions of the head and body having the form of a band-like conical frustum, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination of a body member and a head member inclosed within said body member and having a flange snugly fitting within the same, coincident-portions of the body and the flange of said head being formed as a band -like conical frustum, and means for maintaining pressure on the head member in the direction of that portion of the body member which has the conical frustum form, substantially as described.

3. The combination'of a body member and a head memberv inclosed within .said body member and having a flange snugly fitting within the same, one of said members having its edge portion bent around the edge portion of the other and tending to force the head member longitudinally of the vessel, a part of the vessel which comprises coincident portions of the body and head being formed asa band-like conical frustum so disposed that the body portion offers resistance against movement of the head portion,.substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of January, 1902.

WALTER THOMPSON. Witnesses:

JOHN W. STEWARD, ROBERT J. POLLITT. 

